Drunkness leads to all sorts of problems!
by MissPennyLockhart
Summary: The Defeat Of Voldemort, a chance to celebrate? Or, the emergence of feelings buried throughout the entire war? There's only one way to find out ...


Loud guffaws of laughter emanated from behind the heavy wooden doors of The Three Broomsticks. The sound of celebration was heavy in the summer air, almost a sort of buzzing; as if a giant swarm of bees had overtaken the Wizarding community. Fortunately this was not the case.

He was gone.

It was as simple as that.

Voldemort was gone.

Harry Potter had eventually vanquished The Dark Lord.

After all the years of constant vigilance and mistrust, it had all come to an end. Hence, the wild celebratory parties that were taking place throughout Wizarding England. One of the most uproarious, being the party being held in The Three Broomsticks by none other than Mister Harry Potter himself. What had started out as a celebration between close friends and family had somehow turned into one of the biggest parties that had been seen in the Wizarding Community in decades. Apparently Rita Skeeter was to blame, having gotten wind of the party she had spread the word as fast as her little legs could carry her. For once however, her gossiping hadn't been of malicious intent. Perhaps she had learned her lesson, or she was just afraid of angering the newly dubbed war Hero Hermione Granger who was obviously in attendance of said party; being one of the Golden Trio and a vital part of Voldemort's downfall. She and one Ronald Weasley were at Harry's side, just as they had been for the past seven or so years. The other two members of The Golden Trio were finally getting the recognition they deserved and although Ron seemed to be lapping it up ... Hermione was clearly very uncomfortable.

For most of the night, the three had stuck together but as the evening had progressed and the alcohol had flowed more freely, they had found themselves separated. Ron was chatting to a group of eager girls , regaling obviously exaggerated tales of his adventures at Hogwarts and Harry was off somewhere, probably being cornered by one fan girl or another. Whereas Hermione, well, Hermione had been left to her own devices. Which is why, at half past eleven on the eve of the greatest party of her life, she was to be found propping up the bar with a very persistent Seamus Finnegan trying his luck.

"'Mione love, yer a bit o' alri- aren't yee. All tha' training fo' the war 'as worked wonders for tha' li'l body o' yours" He slurred to a very frustrated Hermione Granger.

"I really think you've had quite enough fire whiskey for one night Seamus, don't you?" She bit out. It wasn't as though she hadn't been drinking herself, she had, but clearly she could handle her alcohol a lot better than the Irishman beside her. Trying to Reach past him to get his glass, he stopped her and pushed his glass further away from her.

"Nuh uh, yer no' getting your hands on my alcohol. If yer wan' a taste o' th' fire whiskey then gis' a kiss." He winked, leaning in close to her. Hermione grunted and shifted backwards, almost causing Seamus to topple from his stool. Rolling her eyes and looking past him, Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Harry was standing dangerously close to Cho Chang and the Asian girl seemed to be flirting outrageously. Hermione saw red, the girl hadn't been interested in him before he was a hero, now she was and Her Harry was falling for it.

Hermione stopped, almost smacking herself across the forehead. Her Harry? Where had that come from? Shaking her head she directed a scorching glare at the girl that was currently stroking her best friends bicep. Feeling a heavy hand suddenly on her shoulder, Hermione whirled around and smacked the person across the middle. Her eyes widened in instant recognition and she muttered a hurried apology before she threw her arms around Ron and burying her head into his shoulder, promptly burst into tears.

"Finnegan! What the hell did you say to her?" Growled a suddenly sober Ron Weasley, attempting to pry the sobbing girl from around his middle.

"Nothin' mate. Sh' wa' fine, then sh' was lookin' a' something over there an' th' next thing I know sh's cryin'." He stumbled out, not wanting to get on the wrong side of the infamous Weasley temper.

Stroking the mass of hair on Hermione's head, in what he hoped was a soothing manner, he looked over Seamus' shoulder just in time to see Cho Chang pull Harry's head down towards hers for an almost X Rated kiss. Shaking his head, he kissed Hermione on the top of the head, noticing that her sobs had turned to whimpers and passed her onto Seamus.

"Seamus mate, look after 'Mione for a minute. If you try anything funny, I swear to Merlin I'll make what happened to Voldemort look like fun." He threatened, stalking off towards his idiot of a best friend.

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To say Harry was drunk was an understatement. He was so absolutely plastered that he could barely see. When Cho Chang, who to put it simply was ... fucking hot had started to chat him up, he obviously had no qualms. Not realising that he was in full view of the woman his heart secretly belonged to ... his best friend, Hermione Granger. As Cho pulled him into a deep kiss, her fingernails digging into the back of his head he couldn't help but be pulled in by her kissing expertise and the intoxication of her perfume and had hungrily began to kiss her back. Moaning deep into the Asian girl's mouth, his hands slid down her backside and clutched her arse through the what could barely be called material of her dress.

His happy drunken fumblings however, were cut short as he felt a hard punch in his shoulder. Groaning in disappointment at being interrupted from his lurid display of affection with Cho, he turned to face the person that had punched him, a deathly glare in his eyes. "Wha' the fuck mate?" He growled, green eyes widening slightly as he saw the murderous look in Ron Weasley's eyes. He knew what the red head's temper could be like and didn't want to be on the wrong side of it, tonight of all nights.

"Harry Potter, you are the world's biggest idiot." He spat out venomously, sending a look of pure hatred towards Cho who had her arms huffily folded; red claws clearly visible.

"Wha' did I do now?" He asked, confusion apparent on his face, as his drunken hands continued to glide up and down Cho's back.

"Cho Chang? Harry, really? I thought you had more taste than that," he smirked, throwing the Asian girl a loathing look. "Especially in full view of the entire pub!"

"Wha's it gotta do wi' the entire pub?" He growled, throwing his arm out in a lairy fashion, catching Ron in the chest.

"Watch it Potter, you may be my best friend but that won't stop me from knocking you out." He scowled, throwing Harry's arm away from him.

"Weasley, you've got some nerve. Coming over here and threatening poor Harry." Cho simpered, running her hand up Harry's arm. Ron turned to her and scowled.

"Shut the fuck up Chang." He retorted, fixing her with a steely glare which softened as a movement caught the corner of his eye and he saw Hermione making her way over to them. He started over to her and grabbed her by the elbow as she stumbled, falling into a bar stool. He sighed and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly as she whimpered sadly. He turned to Harry and motioned to Hermione, "This, is all your fault." He growled before he began stroking Hermione's hair and whispering soothing words to her.

Leaving Cho forgotten, Harry reached out his arm and patted Hermione heavily on the head, causing her to look up. "Shhhhh 'Mione ish aaaall okay." He patronized drunkenly. Clearly this was the wrong thing to do as Hermione pulled out of Ron's arms and spun on her heel, grabbing Harry's arm she pulled the stumbling man out of the pub and into the warm summer air. She had forgotten how warm it was, with the cooling charms that had been placed on the pub and she suddenly felt very hot as she wiped the tears away from her eyes, scowling at how puffy her face must look. Folding her arms across her chest, she turned to Harry who was leaning against a wall of the pub, head in hands, groaning.

"Oh sober up would you, you cad." She sighed sadly , flicking her wand at him, smiling slightly as his beautiful eyes managed to focus for the first time it what must have been hours.

"'Mione, what are we doing standing out here?" He asked, confusion written across his face. Taking a deep breath, Hermione knew it was now or never.

"Harry, we're out here because you really hurt me back there. You were all over Cho Chang. Cho fucking Chang, of all people you picked her." She burst out, startling Harry with her use of language as she wasn't normally one to swear. "You're breaking my heart Harry!" She cried, covering her eyes with her hand as she began to cry again.

"'Mione?" He asked, stepping forward to tug at her hand. She pushed him violently away, taking a step back.

"Don't! Don't touch me!" She almost screamed, anguish lacing her words. "I, I can't do this anymore Harry. I can't act like your friend anymore, not when I feel this way." She choked out, bringing her hand down to her mouth to cover the sobs that were involuntarily escaping from her.

"Feel what way? Hermione? You're confusing me!" He frowned, a panicked look in his eyes at the thought of his best friend abandoning him.

"Merlin! Harry you're so dense! Even Ron sees it and he has the emotional range of a damned teaspoon!" She shouted, colouring slightly as she lowered her voice. "Harry, the thing is ... I'm in love with you." She muttered, staring at the ground, refusing to raise her eyes to meet his. "I know that we're just best friends and I entirely understand if you don't want to speak to me ever again after tonight, I have after all behaved abysmally. It's not even like I'm as pretty as Cho or Ginny, I'm just plain old boring bookwork Hermione. You need someone more exciting, someone that's as devastatingly good looking as you, you ne-" Her rambling was suddenly cut off as Harry placed his lips upon hers gently, kissing her softly before pulling away.

"What I need Hermione, is for you to stop talking long enough for me to tell you how I feel." He grinned wryly, winking at her as she turned bright red. "What I need, my adorable little bookworm, is you. You're more beautiful to me than all the Cho's and Ginny's of the world put together. I just can't believe you feel the same way as I do." He laughed. "Hermione Granger, I'm in love with you."

And with that sentiment uttered, Hermione threw herself into Harry's arms and squeezed tightly, laughing softly as he spun her round and pulled her into a deep kiss.

"I can't believe you kissed Cho again." She muttered, a sour look on her face.

"What can I say, when I'm drunk I'm an arse." Harry replied sheepishly as he took hold of her hand.

"You can say that again mate." Came the voice of one thoroughly amused Ron Weasley. "It's about bloody time as well. If I had to listen to either one of you mooning over the other one more time, I swear to Merlin I'd Avada myself." He laughed, earning a gasp and a smack across the chest from Hermione.

"Ronald Weasley! The war may be over but that was in horrible taste!" Hermione scolded, unable to keep the grin from her face. Ron laughed and stuck his tongue out at her.

"Well I'm heading back inside, I heard Luna was looking for me." He grinned, whistling slightly and heading back inside the heavy wooden doors leaving Harry and Hermione to celebrate the demise of Voldemort in their own _private _ way.


End file.
